MOPA Notes

• The Museum of Photographic Arts, founded in 1974, is one of three museum dedicated to the art of photography
• The collections include film and video, and is located in El Prado, San Diego
• Many artists exhibit their work in this museum since it is the optima place to have others see their work, thorough their emotions,  work, and photos
• Photography proved it could capture permanent images more precisely than an artist’s hands. 
• Early scientists discovered this image making process, others began to experiment with the abilities of the camera to capture a precise moment 
• One of the earliest motion images showed pedestrians and horse-drawn carriages frozen in unusual postures the mechanics of the camera would further evolve to capture what the eye could not see
• Artists and scientists both strive to better understand the world around us 
• After that, photography became a tool to feed a desire for facts and increased scientific understanding. 
• Photography processes captured new forms of visual information and allowed for the world to be closely dissected
• Photographs of scientific specimens, which reveal surface structures of animal and nature forms, were able to significantly impact a number of photographers
• Distinguished by a neutral presentation and emphasis on discovering structure, these images share some of the characteristics associated with scientific inquiry
• These first images exemplify their respective process’ ability to create accurate reps of the subject
• Whether used as a document, or admired for their beauty, these images represent the inherent relationship of science and art working together to introduce a new visual medium
• Photography is the result of combining several different technologies invented over many years
•  These technologies continue to evolve even to this very day
• As photographic equipment becomes more diverse, the ability to make variations of portraits gives photographers more freedom and creativity to capture what they truly feel
• It seems as if it is almost impossible to image a time before photography existed
• The invention of photography brought together optics, chemistry and technology, allowing people to see the world in a dramatically new way
• A photograph became a way of communicating information about other people, places, and cultures. Photography provided new and exciting ways to see what was once visually unknown to something appearing right before their very eyes
• The photograph allowed a new way of looking at ourselves
• With the invention of the camera, photography became an essential tool in recording human behavior, customs, and lifestyles
• A portrait is a story filled with clues and ideas about who a person is, what their status in society is, and sometimes even, a reflection of their self-worth
• MOPA can exhibit these behaviors captured in split moments, detailing what i s going on at an exact moment, enabling a time where future generations can look down on